China

The Hollywood of China: Hengdian World Studios – Keep Calm & Wander

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Hengdian World Studios

Visiting Hengdian World Studios, The Hollywood of China

Hengdian World Studios is in the Dongyang district of Zhejiang province in eastern China. It is the world’s largest film and television production facility. Spread across more than 4 square kilometers, the studio features a wide range of sets and locations, including replicas of ancient Chinese palaces, temples, and streetscapes and more modern settings such as airports and hospitals.

Visitors to this amazing place can experience the magic of the film and television industry up close, with guided tours that take them behind the scenes of some of China’s most popular productions. The studio offers a variety of tours that cater to different interests, including historical and cultural tours, as well as more specialized tours for fans of specific television shows or movies.

In addition to its impressive array of sets, Hengdian World Studios also boasts a number of modern facilities and amenities for cast and crew members. These include a large sound stage, multiple post-production facilities, and various accommodation options, from luxury hotels to more affordable dormitories.

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Zhuge Bagua Village in Zhejiang, China – Keep Calm and Wander

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Zhuge Bagua Village

Morning at Zhuge Bagua Village in Zhejiang

Zhuge Bagua Village is an ancient town in Zhejiang Province in the eastern part of China. It has a history that dates back to the Qing and Ming Dynasties. The locals call it “Zhugecun.” History has it that the village’s name comes from the last name Zhuge which was widespread in two dynasties. Most of the residents here claim to be descendants of Zhuge Liang, a 3rd-century Chinese military strategist, and noble statesman.

I arrived at Zhuge early evening and I didn’t want to explore it right away because, you know, I might get lost in the dark alleys. I stayed in a hotel that was along the main road in the newer part of the town. However, the receptionist assured me that the ancient village was just behind the hotel and it can be seen from my bedroom windows.

Well, it was not 100% true. Yes, the village was just behind (according to the map) me but I didn’t see it from my window. There was no shortcut trail from the back of the hotel to the old village. Fortunately, it was just a 10-15 minutes walk from where I was.

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Gay China, A Local Perspective – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay China - Nomadic Boys

China has the potential to be the gayest nation on our planet. Think about it: a country with a population of 1.5 billion people. That’s a billion! You do the maths, how many gays does that work out to…?

Today, the country is slowly emerging from an oppressive Communist rule under which homosexuality was criminalized and seen as a mental illness. It wasn’t until 1997 when it was legalized and then subsequently declassified as a mental illness in 2001.

Historically it wasn’t always like this. Homosexuality in ancient China appears to have been widely accepted well before the 1800s. For example, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) literature (like the Bian Er Chai – 弁而釵/弁而钗) portrays homosexual relationships as being positive, and writings from the Liu Song Dynasty (420–479 AD) allege that homosexuality was an everyday common thing!

The fabulous LGBTQ folk we met during our travels as a couple in gay China were confident of progressive change – albeit very slowly. During our trip in Xi’an we met the awesome Cass Chen who sat us down and gave us this interview about his experience growing up gay in China.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay China Travel Resources

Finding Gay China – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay China - The Nomadic Boys

Picking out the best vacation destination is a challenge, which is why we’re here to give you a simple word of advice: don’t be sleeping on the Sleeping Giant!

It seems a common misconception that China only represents oppression and a loss of freedom. We definitely understand concerns from the LGBTQ community regarding discrimination, but allow us to assure you that most Chinese citizens are respectful, kind, and almost too eager to receive visitors from all walks of life. Welcome to gay China!

As one of the world’s first civilizations, there has been more than enough time for specific Chinese cultures to steep like an exquisite cup of tea. Seemingly every region of China offers its own distinctive cuisine, architectural wonders, and natural sights. The country provides boundless opportunities for exciting travel from the countless pagodas and temples to the towering mountains and shining bodies of water. And that’s not even mentioning the gay bars, clubs, and saunas that can be found in some of gay China’s more progressive cities.

As daunting a task vacation planning can be, just follow our comprehensive guide to gay travel in China, and you will surely leave the country with a smile on your face.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay China Travel Resources

Gay Xi’an – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Xi’an - The Nomadic Boys

Emperor Qin Shi Huang was one pretty remarkable Diva in Ancient China! Not only did he declare himself as the first Emperor of a unified China back in 221 BC, he also created an entire tomb of terracotta sculptures depicting his massive army who would protect him in his afterlife.

This was no mean feat. Old Qin Shi’s posthumous army consisted of 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. And it’s pretty damn impressive to behold!

We came to Xi’an expecting to be wowed by Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s famous Terracotta Warrior sculptures – and bloody hell, we sure were! But unbeknownst to us, we were also blown away by the delicious street food in the Muslim Quarter as well as the city’s small, but lively gay scene.

Most will only come to Xi’an expecting to stay for just a few days to see the Terracotta Army then leave. But we recommend hanging around a few days longer. This is a city with an extraordinary history that dates back over 3,000 years, back to when it was called “Chang’an” – one of the four great ancient capitals of China and the starting point of the famous Silk Road trade network. A few days just doesn’t do it justice – trust us, you’ll thank us!

This is our detailed gay guide to Xi’an’s bars, clubs, hotels and some invaluable inspiration for LGBTQ travellers. All the information in this guide is based on our first-hand experience travelling here as a gay couple coupled with notes from gay locals we met during our trip who continue to help us keep our guide up-to-date.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

China Gay Travel Resources

China’s Leaning Tower – Keep Calm and Wander

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China's Leaning Tower - Keep Calm and Wander

The Yunyansi Pagoda on Tiger Hill in Suzhou is China’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. Well, you won’t really notice it if you’re not standing on the right side below the tower.

I went there with no idea that this was a leaning pagoda. I gradually noticed it as I went around the structure. The photos below don’t really give justice, but you’ve got to see it yourself if you’re intrigued.

The pagoda is sitting on Tiger Hill, a tourist attraction in Suzhou. There are a few hills in the area with other interesting sites to visit. However, the leaning Yunyansi Pagoda is the most visited one.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower – Keep Calm and Wander

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Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower - Keep Calm and Wander

The Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower was once the tallest building in China – from 1994-2007. Then, it was later eclipsed by the modern Shanghai World Financial Center. 

Today, the tower is the 5th tallest in the world.

A friend of mine once told me that his Shanghainese friend told him that the tower resembles that of twin dragons playing with pearls.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Shanghai’s Bund at Night – Keep Calm and Wander

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Shanghai's Bund at Night - Keep Calm and Wander

I guarantee that you will be shanghaied by The Bund at night. The city’s skyline views after sunset are breathtaking. You do not need to join a night tour – just go there by yourself and enjoy it.

Don’t worry much about security. The Bund promenade has police officers on duty everywhere. Not to mention the cameras that seem to follow you wherever you go. 

The flickering neon lights of the skyscrapers across the Huangpu River are mesmerizing.

But before getting too excited to see Shanghai skyline at night, how about a dinner with a view? 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Pingjiang Lu: Relive Old Suzhou – Keep Calm and Wander

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Pingjiang Lu: Relive Old Suzhou - Keep Calm and Wander

On Pingjiang Lu, you can still relive the Old Suzhou you are looking for. However, it’s not a kind of experience that will fully give you a satisfying experience. Though the street is lined with white-washed houses of old yore, many are turned into businesses that cater to tourists. There are cafes, street food stalls, a few high-end fashion silk brands, and restaurants. And oh, Starbucks invaded this street, too. 

Pingjiang Road is a well-preserved street that is part of Old Suzhou. Record shows that the street’s history dates back to Song Dynasty. At first glance, you’ll find the street to be made-up to attract tourists. The good news, however, is that there are no aggressive hawkers and vendors here. 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Gay Friendly Asia – Nomadic Boys

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Gay Friendly Asia - The Nomadic Boys

We spent 2 years travelling around Asia and completely fell in love with the continent. It offers so much in terms of cultural experiences, food and landscapes, with some of the most humble people you’ll ever meet.

But when it comes to LGBTQ rights, Asia has some serious work to do! In quite a lot of countries in Asia, being gay is either illegal or an arrestable offence, like in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. If it’s not illegal, then it’s such a strong taboo that you have to stay in the closet to avoid jeopardising your job prospects and embarrassing your family like in China, Russia and Indonesia.

Despite this, there are a number of countries in Asia that are paving the way forward in relation to LGBTQ rights. We’ve selected the top 10 most gay friendly countries in Asia, which we’ve based on the following criteria:

  • Where are they at with same sex marriage legislation, along with other LGBTQ laws?
  • What is the gay scene like and do they have any notable annual LGBTQ festivals?
  • Our personal experience travelling there as a gay couple, with reference to the most recent Spartacus Gay Travel Index.

We have taken it as a given that homosexuality is legal in the countries we’ve selected, which is why we haven’t included Singapore despite it having quite a vibrant gay scene and a famous LGBTQ PinkDot festival in June/July.

We have also included two “places” (Taiwan and Hong Kong) rather than “countries”, because although they’re not officially recognised “countries”, they can still be regarded as a “country” given they have their own flag, currency, national anthem, set of laws etc.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Asia Gay Travel Resources